Noonkanbah Station

Noonkanbah Station (or just Noonkanbah) is a pastoral lease, both a cattle and sheep station on the Fitzroy River between Camballin and Fitzroy Crossing. The station was pegged out in the 1880s and covered approximately 4,000 square kilometres (400,000 hectares) or 1,000,000 acres in the south central Kimberley of Western Australia. It was the subject of an infamous land-rights dispute in August 1980 when state premier Sir Charles Court enforced an oil exploration project under police protection. The traditional owners now control around 1800 square kilometres of the land sacred to the Yungngora Community.

The station was established in the early 1880s by the Emanuel family. Brothers Isadore Samuel Emanuel and Sydney Emanuel, were sent to the Kimberley by their father. Between them they set up Noonkanbah, Meda, Gogo and Lower Liveringa stations.

In 1908 the station was 100,000 acres (40,469 ha) in size and was held still by Emanuel and Co. who paid a £25 rental on the property. The property held 86,989 sheep at the time.

Put up for auction in 1920 by the Emanuels the station, along with neighbouring Gogo and Liveringa stations, Noonkanbah was advertised as having an area of 1,035,530 acres (419,064 ha) on one compact block equipped with 400 miles (644 km) of sheep fencing. The property was described as being abundantly watered by the Fitzroy River that passes through the centre of the run, and various other pools and springs. The property included a homestead and other buildings including the fully equipped 20-stand shearing shed. Stock included a flock of 65,000 sheep, 70 horses, 250 donkeys, 50 mules and 50 cattle.

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